A motorized vehicle often includes one or more vehicle component covers shaped to couple with components of the vehicle in order to increase an aesthetic quality of the components and/or reduce an amount of noise generated by the vehicle. An engine compartment of a vehicle, for example, may include a cover positioned to obscure one or more sections of the engine and/or to display a make and/or model of the engine to a viewer.
One example approach towards an engine cover is shown by Krueger et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 7,998,232. Therein, a housing coupleable to a motor vehicle includes first and second rigid housing portions moveable relative to each other. The first housing portion includes an elongate support element connected at a first end to the first housing portion, the support element including a distally disposed end coupleable to a through opening of an elastic fixing element of the second housing portion.
However, the inventors herein have recognized potential issues with such systems. As one example, the engine compartment is often positioned at an end of the vehicle along a drive axis of the vehicle. A gap having a pre-determined minimum size is often positioned between a hood covering the engine compartment of the vehicle and the engine in order to increase an energy-absorption characteristic of the hood. An engine cover formed of a rigid material or having a rigid shell that is positioned within the gap or extends into the gap may degrade the energy-absorption characteristic of the hood. Although engine covers formed of soft, deformable materials may be positioned partially or entirely within the gap without appreciably reducing the energy-absorption characteristic of the hood, soft covers often have a reduced durability and increased wear characteristics relative to more rigid covers.
In one example, the issues described above may be addressed by a vehicle component cover, comprising: a solid encasement; and a support structure embedded within the encasement, the support structure including a main section and a plurality of notched sections positioned along the main section. In this way, the support structure increases a rigidity and energy absorption characteristic of the vehicle component cover.
As one example, the support structure may deform (e.g., bend) and/or separate into a plurality of sections at the notched sections in response to an impact against the vehicle component cover. By configuring the support structure to deform and/or separate at the notched sections, the vehicle component cover may absorb an increased amount of mechanical energy from the impact. Additionally, during conditions in which the support structure is not deformed and/or separated at the notched sections, the support structure may increase a durability and rigidity of the vehicle component cover.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.